Clutching mechanism for foot presses and the like



Feb. 4, 1958 G. GOLDBERG 2,821,862

CLUTCH'ING MECHANISM FOR FOOT PRESSES AND THE LIKE Filed April 18, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 2

INVENTOR. 6501'? E am 055m;

Feb. 4,1958 G. GOLDBERG 2,821,862

CLUTCHING MECHANISM FOR FOOT PRESSES AND THE LIKE Filed April 18, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 co 8 2 8, I

1 i n g o N a, 5' i a an a 'r r; 1 l5} 3 m 8 u qi N i s v I I F o v l m n m m u 5 M Q mm N" 1 m r k I m J N o m o i! INVENTOR.

GEORGE GOLDBERG G. GOLDBERG 2,821,862

Feb. 4, 1958 CLUTCHING MECHANISM FOR FOOT PRESSES AND THE LIKE Filed April 18, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

GE I? GOLDBERG BY I Feb. 4, 1958 GOLDBERG 2,821,862

CLUTCHING MECHANISM FOR FOOT PRESSES AND THE LIKE Filed April 18, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

6 R65 GOLDBERG %%MW United States Patent cwrcnmo MECHANISM FOR FOOT AND THE LIKE PRESS ES This invention is concerned with foot presses and the like, and particularly a clutch mechanism that enables the press to be operated from a power source such as electricity.

.In most factories where foot presses are used, the eificiency of the operator falls off as fatigue from working the foot pedal sets in. As a result, production costs rise and the pressing operation becomes burdensome in the ultimate cost of the item manufactured. Many times the tired operator will spoil the raw material, and the dies in the press will be damaged and require repairs.

It is an object of the within invention to provide a device that will enable a press type machine to be operated from a source of artificial energy.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and novel mechanism that will transmit vertical motion to a machine and release when the vertical stroke ha been completed.

' -It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a mechanism that will eliminate the fatiguing of an operator of a machine.

It is an additional object of the within invention to provide a device that will reduce production costs of manufacture as well as increase the efliciency of operation and production.

It is yet another object of the within invention to provide a mechanism that may be used with a foot press that is already in existence and render the foot pressv operable means of a motor instead of by human power. In other words, the foot press presently operated by a human being now in use in various factories may be converted so as to be operated mechanically, and need not be replaced by an entirely new unit.

Briefly, a unique clutch mechanism is employed for converting the rotary motion from a power source to a pushing motion, having means for being released from the source of power when the desired stroke is completed. I

in order to understand more clearly the objects and uniqueness of this invention, referenceis made to the following detailed description in which:

' Figure 1 is a top elevational view of the device with the top plate.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view looking toward the bottom of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial cross sectional view of Figure 2 with the side plate removed.

Figure 3A is an exploded cross section view looking down on push shaft 28 inside of mounting plate 6 and looking from beneath shaft 19.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view looking toward the top of Figure l. t is the opposite side from the side shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view looking at the left end of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view looking at the right end of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a side elevation" view of the clutch mechanism connected to a foot press table assembly.

l shaft 19 above"receptacle 17.

Figure 8 is a front elevation view of the clutch mechanism connected to a foot press table assembly.

The clutch mechanism is located in a housing 1. The top of the housing 1 is a flat surface 2. On each side of the housing 1 is a face plate 6and 7. These plates Sand 7 are mounted by set screws 4 and 5 respectively shown in Figure 1.

There are two shafts mounted in each end of the housing 1. 'The lower shaft 13 referred to as the drive shaft passes from the open receptacle 18 which is part of the housing 1 to receptacle 17. Receptacle 17 is also part of the'housing 1. It extends inside of the housing and is integral with a support portion 17a. Inside of rec'eptacle 17 is a spring 33. The shaft 13 has next to the spring 33 a sleeve assembly 35 about which the spring 33 fits. The inside surface of receptacle 17 has threads 52. A tension adjustment wheel 8 has a threadedshaft 14 which is threaded in receptacle 17. A locking nut 15 is about the threaded shaft 14 and has a lever arm 16 for'ti ghtening the nut. At the end of shaft 14 is another sleeve 34 similar to 35 for receiving the spring 33. There are two sleeves 36 at each end of shaft 13 for properly seating the shaft 13 in its respective receptacles 17 and 18. These sleeves, are of course made of a selective metal that will allow the shaft 13 to rotate with a minimum of Wear. A wheel 37 is secured by a pin 54 to the shaft 13, and rotates with the shaft 13 at all times. In contact with the face of wheel 37 is a friction lining material 38 This lining 38 is permanently secured by means of set bolts 40 to the slipping wheel 39 which is mounted on the shaft 13. Mounted on shaft 13 next to the slipping wheel 39 is a sleeve assembly comprising two sections 41 and 42. Section 41 rides on shaft 13. It moves with wheel 37 while section 42 remains stationary. Section 42 retains the wheels 37 and 3:9. in a stationary position on shaft 13 while section 41 allows wheel 39 to slip on shaft 13. This function will be explained with more understanding subsequently.

Another housing 55 surrounds shaft 13. This housing serves two purposes. It spaces wheels 37 and 39 from shaft housing 18 and it allows shaft 13 to turn without imparting motion to wheel 48. It is noted that clutch wheel 48, flange 49, gear teeth 51 comprise an integral gear assembly 50.

On the face of wheel 39 is a stop member 43 that extends outwardly therefrom. Opposite stop member 43 and facing it is a stop member 44 which is mounted on wheel 48. These stop members 43 and 44 are in the embodiment herein disclosed frictionally fitted into openings in the respective wheels 39 and 48. These stop members have flat surfaces facing each other to prevent slipping when they are in contact with one another.

Above shaft 13 is a second shaft 19 which is mounted in shaft housings 21 and 20. A cradle 30 hangs from small gear 31 which meshes with the teeth on rack 9. The shaft 19 moves with the movement of gear 31 while the cradle 30 hangs loosely about shaft 19 and hangs almost even when the gear 31 moves because of its weight. At the other end of shaft 19 is an upper gear assemblycomprising the wheel 45, gear 46, andsleeve 47. This assembly moves with the shaft 19. A sleeve insert 36 enables the shaft 19 to spin freely in housing 20.

At the bottom of housing 1 is a bolt receptacle 27. Mounted in receptacle 27v is a bolt 26. The bolt 26 passes through an opening in the L shaped control arm which comprises a vertical portion 25 and horizontal portion 24. At the upper end of vertical portion 25 is a Inside cradle 30 is a push shaft 28. Shaft 28 passes through opening 29 in mounting plate 6 and ends proximate and perpendicular to shaft 13. It is aligned in its stationary position between clutch wheel 48 and flange'49 on the 'gear assembly 50. Bolt 26 is so seated in receptacle 27 that there is enough space for the L shaped-control arm 24, 25 to pivot on longitudinal axis of bolt 26. At the far end of arm 24 is a spring assembly comprising a spring ;22, a screw and washer 23 set in the mounting plate 6, and a hook and opening 23a. The spring maintains the con- 'trol arms vertical section 25 vertical.

The housing 1 has openings 3 in its four corners at the top. Bolt 3a secures the housing to a foot press table top 60. The rack 9 passes through the opening 32a in mounting plate 6 and through opening 6a in mounting plate 7. The smooth end 12 is facing the operator in Figure 8. The bifurcated end 10 isfastenedto the leg 66 by means of a bolt 11a which passes through the openings 11 in the bifurcated end 10 of rack 9. To:

convert the leg 66 to operate with the clutch mechanism it is only necessary to drill a hole in the leg at the proper location and insert bolt 11a. The lower part of the leg 67 shown in Figure 7 by the dotted lines must also be removed.

Figures 7 and 8 show a typical foot press assembly having a die 64 and head 65. A table having front legs 61 and 62 and a rear leg 63 mounts the press. Attached to the drive shaft 13 of the clutch mechanism is a pulley 56 which is connected by a belt 57 to a pulley 58-. Pulley 58 is mounted on motor shaft 59 which is driven by a motor M.

Connected to control arm 24 at opening 53 is a push rod 68. A bolt assembly 53a ties the rod 68 to arm 24.

Because of the need for adjusting the length of rod 68, it has a lower section 69 which is clamped to it by clamp 76. At the bottom of 69 is a foot pedal 71 which is fastened securely to the floor beneath the table. The pedal 71 when pressed pulls the rods 68 and 69 down against the tension of spring 22 pulling lever 24 down and the vertical portion 25 over as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 8. i

In operation, the motor M imparts rotary motion to its shaft 59, causing pulley 58 to rotate and move belt 57. As belt 57 moves, rotary motion is imparted to pulley 56 which causes drive shaft 13 to rotate. Wheels 37 and 39 rotate with shaft 13. The gear assembly 50 does not rotate yet. The operator must push down and hold pedal 71 which forces the vertical section 25 of the control arm to move toward wheels 37 and 39. The push shaft 28 which is mounted at the end of section 25 and is perpendicular thereto accordingly moves toward wheels 37 and 39 and slides gear assembly 50 towards wheels 37 and 39. Stop member 43 then engages stop member 44 and rotary motion is imparted to gear assembly 50. Gear teeth 51 are always in contact with the gear 46 even after the gear assembly slides over shaft 13 towards wheels 37 and 39 under the forces of push shaft 28. Figure 3 shows the relative position of the gear teeth before the movement of gear assembly 50.

Once gear assembly 50 is rotating the upper gear 46 starts to rotate and the upper shaft 19 also rotates causing the gear 31 inside of the cradle 30 to spin. As gear 31 spins rack 9 pushes against leg 66 of the press head. 65 causing the press to come down on its die 64.

As soon as the contact between the head 65 and die 64 is complete, the clutch wheel 39 starts to slip as a result of the brake lining frictional forces being weaker than the opposing forces of the die 64 against the head 65. If the slipping starts too soon, the spacing between the lining 38 and wheel 37 may be adjusted by tensioning the spring 33 under control of the tensioning wheel 8. If the slipping delays, it will be necessary to ease up on the tension of spring 33. Once the head 65 has come down on the die 64 and completed the stroke, the operator, of course, takes his foot off the pedal 71. The spring 22 then restores the gear assembly 50 to its stationary position by forcing push shaft 28 back. Stop members 43 and 44 are no longer in engagement and no motion is transmitted to the upper shaft assembly.

It is to be understood that certain features in the drawings have been exaggerated to teach more clearly the invention as well as the fact that changes in dimension and size of the various components are within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion into a pushing motion for a predetermined distance comprising a drive shaft assembly, a clutch means mounted on said assembly, said clutch means comprising two wheels mounted on said shaft, the first of said wheels being mounted so as to spin with said shaft, said second wheel mounted loosely on said shaft, a friction lining on the face of said second wheel proximate the face of the first wheel, a stop member on the opposite face of said second wheel, a gear means having a wheel proximate said second wheel, said gear wheel having a stop member proximate the said opposite face of the second wheel, means for moving said gear means closer to said clutch means whereby the stop member's engage each other thereby causing the gear means to rotate.

2. A mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion into a pushing motion for a predetermined distance comprising a drive shaft assembly, a clutch means mounted on said assembly, said clutch means comprising two wheels mounted on said shaft, the first of said wheels being mounted so as to spin with said shaft, said second wheel mounted loosely on said shaft, a friction lining on the face of said second wheel proximate the face of the first wheel, a stop member on the opposite face of said second wheel, a gear means having a wheel proximate said second wheel, said gear wheel having a stop member proximate the said opposite face of the second wheel, means for moving said gear means closer to said clutch means whereby the stop members engage each other thereby causing the gear means to rotate, a rack, a second gear means meshing with said rack, and means for imparting motion from said second gear means to said rack.

3. A mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion into a pushing motion for a predetermined distance comprising a drive shaft assembly, a clutch means mounted on said assembly, said clutch means comprising two wheels mounted on said shaft, the first of said wheels being mounted so as to spin with said shaft, said second wheel mounted loosely on said shaft, a friction lining on the face of said second wheel proximate the face of the first wheel, a stop member on the opposite face of said second wheel, a gear means having a wheel proximate said second wheel, said gear wheel having a stop member proximate the said opposite face of the second wheel, means for moving said gear means closer to said clutch means whereby the stop members engage each other thereby causing the gear means to rotate, a second drive shaft assembly proximate the first shaft, a second gear means on said'second shaft and meshing with said rack, a third gear means mounted securely on said second shaft so as to cause said second shaft to rotate with it, a third gear means on said second shaft and meshing with said first gear means whereby rotary motion from said first shaft may be imparted to said second shaft and causing said rack to push outwardly.

4. 'A mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion into a pushing motion for a predetermined distance as recited in claim 2 wherein said clutch means releases and causes said motion to said rack to cease when said rack has completed its stroke.

. 5. A mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion into a pushing motion for a predetermined distance as recited in claim 3 wherein said clutch means releases and causes said motion to said rack to cease when said rack has completed its stroke.

6. A mechanism for converting continuous rotary motion into a pushing motion for a predetermined distance as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said gear means closer to said clutch means comprises a control arm mounted on a pivot and having at one end a push shaft, said push shaft extending on the face of the said gear wheel opposite the face from its stop member, whereby said push shaft may push said gear wheel toward said first Wheel when said control arm is pulled downward from said pivot.

7. A mechanical assembly for adapting a conventional foot press to be operated by a motor comprising a motor driving means, a drive shaft connected to said driving means, a clutch means mounted on said shaft, said clutch means having two wheels, the first of said wheels being mounted so as to spin with said shaft, said second wheel mounted loosely on said shaft, a friction lining on the face of said second wheel proximate the face of the first wheel, gear means on said drive shaft having a stop member facing said second wheel, said second wheel having a stop member facing said gear, means for moving said gear whereby said stop members engage each other, a rack, means for obtaining motion from said gear means to stroke said rack, said rack having a bifurcated end adapted to be connected to the upper portion of the leg of a foot press, said clutch means releasing and causing said motion to said rack to cease when said rack has completed its stroke even while said stop members are in engagement with each other.

8. A mechanical assembly for adapting a conventional foot press to be operated by a motor comprising a motor driving means, a chassis, a drive shaft connected to said driving means, and mounted within said chassis, a clutch means mounted on said shaft, said clutch means consisting of two wheels, the first of said wheels being mounted so as to spin with said shaft, said second wheel mounted loosely on said shaft, a friction lining on the face of said second wheel proximate the face of the first wheel, a gear means mounted on said shaft loosely, a stop member extending from said gear means towards said second wheel, a stop member on said second wheel extending toward said gear means, a lever arm having both a vertical and horizontal section, a mounting bolt at the junction of said sections for securing said lever arm to said chassis, a spring secured to the chassis and to the horizontal end of the lever arm for biasing the position of the lever arm, a push member perpendicular to the vertical section of the lever arm and adapted to engage said gear whereby when said horizontal section of the lever arm is pulled down, the push member forces the gear to move toward the second wheel and the stop members to engage each other, a rack, a transmission system for imparting motion from said gear to said rack, said rack having a bifurcated end adapted to be connected to the upper portion of the leg of a foot press, said clutch means releasing and causing said motion to said rack to cease when said rack has completed its stroke even while said lever arm is pulled down.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 321,656 Stolterfoht July 7, 1885 1,072,618 Kendrick Sept. 9, 1913 2,309,669 Poorman Feb. 2, 1943 2,538,665 Blumenbaum Jan. 16, 1951 2,560,238 Nouzak July 10, 1951 2,675,835 Kiekhaefer Apr. 20, 1954 

